Uniforms

[Haberdashery]

I'm curious to know what others think of uniforms for primary school children. Does it make your life easier? Do your children like wearing a uniform? Is there a downside? Has it proved expensive for you? And how strictly is your school uniform enforced? Or do your children attend a school without a uniform?

The reason I ask is that our local school which has always been non-uniform is thinking of introducing one and I am quite against it (it's one of the reasons I picked this school).

It seems to me that lots of countries get by fine without uniforms and there doesn't seem to be any sensible evidence that they improve academic outcomes (which I think may be where the school is coming from). I also think that it's nice for children to wear their own comfortable and colourful clothes at school.

But I'm interested to hear from other parents as I've never had a child at a school with a uniform so I don't know what the reality of it is like.

also love uniform - and its cheap as chips - in most cases schools usually only insist on logo cardigans or jumpers - the rest you can get from the local supermarket and i find they're great quality.

I can get DD1 5 polo tops, 3 dresses and 2 cardys for £40 which is 60-70% of her winter wardrobe! Summer dresses are also cheap and most of her uniform (except tops and cardys which get bobbly) can be passed down to DD1. We are not poor either and do spend more than average on clothes but even when they were in nursery i dressed them in their "cheaper" clothes so they didn't get ruined. Thus even if your school didn't have a uniform - you would probably 'create' one in the end by buying cheap sustainable clothes for school.

As for individuality, when DDs school has 'non-uniform days' they are the only days were I worry about what to put her in and she's only 6! e.g. if she wears a dress and the others are in leggings then she feels paranoid etc - I HATE non uniform days and would hate a school with no uniform.

I went to a school which didn't have uniforms and I now have two boys of my own who goes to school with uniforms. There are pros and cons about both. I do remember a lot of bullying as a child about not wearing certain clothes, having the right school bag etc, wearing a uniform goes a long way to hinder this but there will always be some people/kids who will bully, with uniforms this will just be about worn/second hand.

Having slim long limbed boys, my main issue with uniforms is that I can't find any school trousers which fit. On the whole I am very much in favour of uniforms as it does create a sense of belonging and community, though I do think some schools take it too far. My youngest preschool uniform contains bag, tshirt and sweatshirt, perfect combination I think.

Zombie thread